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Thursday, May 9, 2013

Review Actual Size Science By Sunflower Education

*This post contains affiliate links, full disclaimer located at the bottom of this post.

Sunflower Education is a Texas based publisher creating who creates educational based materials for teachers, parents and students. Currently they offer a variety of fun science, social studies and language arts materials available.

It was raining for about 4 days straight here in GA earlier this week which meant the kids were cooped up indoors. Boredom was starting to set in...but Tuesday the sun finally showed itself so I told the kids to grab our box of chalk and we headed outside for some fun. But we had more than fun we had a blast learning while drawing gigantic pictures using our Actual Size Science eBook. The eBook (PDF) was very easy to load onto my Nexus Tablet using Dropbox and a PDF reader. I pulled up the eBook and read the 36 lesson options the to children so they could pick which ones they wanted to do. They choose to do the Sharks, Condor and Biggest Snakes lessons.

There are two great Actual Size eBooks available Actual Size Science and Actual Size Social Studies ...and I really hope they make more! As the name suggest these books are all about creating actual size (full scale) drawings or diagrams using sidewalk chalk. Use your playground, driveway or parking lot (in our case) as a giant canvas to learn while having FUN!

These books are a fabulous resource for both parents and teachers. They can be used in classrooms, homeschools, camps, etc. It is a fun learning aid/supplement for children of all ages (and even adults). We had so much fun outside drawing and learning together. There are so many subjects covered in these eBooks including art, math, geography, science and more.

Materials needed:

There are only a few simple materials needed to complete the lessons and we had all the on hand except for a chalk line reel.

Each lesson is broken down the same way. Don't you just love consistency?The lesson is broken into several sections:
-Introduction - this section tells the lesson topic and gives a brief introduction about what your children will be drawing and learning about.
-Prepare - this section lists the time needed as well as the materials needed for the lesson.
-Focus - this section includes further information about the topic to help get your children excited.
-Present - this section provides step-by-step (approximately 3) instructions for creating the drawing/diagram and leading your children in interacting with it. Important lesson vocab words are also noted in this section.
-Conclude - this section includes ways to wind down the lesson, questions for you and the students to discuss and extension activities.
-Diagram Picture - simple blue prints are provided to help guide your children.

In the beginning of the eBook there is also a great list of vocabulary words as well for quick reference.

Drawing and learning was definitely lots of fun however the most important part of this resource is to allow your children to have fun and interact with their new creations. My children had a blast comparing their wingspan (I mean arm span) to the Condors. And then they traveled deep into the South American jungle where they had to run from a Giant Anaconda who was still hungry despite just eating a large animal. And then there was the journey deep into the ocean to swim with a Whale Shark. We traveled all over the World, saw amazing creatures and learned amazing facts in one afternoon without ever leaving our parking lot. Now that is education!

CUTENESS! - Students sit in an actual-size outline of a prairie schooner and talk about what they can fit for their trip West. Kids run the actual length of the Wright Brothers’ flights, arms outstretched. And what could be more fun than looking a life-sized Apatosaurus in the eye, strolling the actual-size deck of the Mayflower, or playing president inside a full-sized Oval Office?

Where to buy:
Both of these books are currently featured on Educents at a 32% discount. But HURRY this deal ends in 7 days!

Educents, a flash-deal website, is an easy way to get huge discounts on the educational products you know and love (and maybe even some you’ve never heard of!) I know I am personally in LOVE with Educents and am always sure to check out the site everyday!
In a world where education is becoming increasingly expensive, Educents is a company with a mission: to provide every family access to affordable educational materials. They focus exclusively on handpicked, unique educational materials including online curriculum, learning tools, educational toys, software, e-books, and more. With new deals added every day, Educents is quickly gaining popularity amongst parents, teachers, homeschoolers and learners of all ages.
Come check out Educents.com to find your favorite brands at up to 90% off retail prices!

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Hello my name is Kathy Balman. I am a wife to my wonderful husband who I married in 2000 on my 19th birthday and a mother to two wonderful children. My daughter is 8 and my son is 7.

If you are curious as to why my blog is named Kathys Cluttered Mind just take a look around and you will see why. My brain NEVER shuts down and there is so much I want to see, say and do! So my blog is a way for me to do that. I used to have one niche now I have several. I have readers from all over the World and from all different walks of life. Some of my favorite things to write about are homeschooling/unschooling, geocaching, travel, fieldtrips, freebies, movies, books, healthy eating, Georgia, LEGO, volunteering and more. We also do product, travel and curriculum reviews!